JP2778986B2 - Image recording device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION <Industrial Application Field> The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to an image recording apparatus which does not require an expensive large-capacity memory and can be connected to any image information source having a different transfer speed.

<Related Art> Various image recording apparatuses of a raster scan type using a laser beam have been proposed and put into practical use.

In such an image recording apparatus, image information is received as an electric signal from an image information source such as an image information reading apparatus, a video, a television, and an image processing apparatus such as a computer, and a laser beam modulated according to the image information is received. The laser beam is reflected and deflected in the main scanning direction by an optical deflector, and the laser beam is imaged on a recording material that is conveyed in the sub-scanning direction in a direction substantially perpendicular to the main scanning direction, and the recording material is exposed to light. Scanning image recording is performed.

In such an image recording apparatus, a memory such as a buffer memory for storing image information transferred from the image information source is provided, and one memory block, for example, a block composed of several sheets, Alternatively, image information for one page is stored in advance, and image recording is performed based on this image information.

Here, in order to obtain a good image without unevenness, the light beam keeps the recording material constant by accurately rotating the optical deflector driven by a high-precision drive source with a small rotation speed fluctuation at a constant speed. While the main scanning at the speed of, by continuously moving or conveying the recording material at a constant speed, the light beam sub-scans the recording material at a constant speed, two-dimensionally expose the recording material, Image recording is being performed.

<Problems to be Solved by the Invention> Meanwhile, even in such a raster scan type image recording apparatus, high quality and high gradation image recording is required. In order to perform such high-quality image recording, the number of pixels is increased even for one page, and one pixel is required.
The amount of image information required to record a page increases.

For this reason, the transfer speed of the image information from the image information source is lower than that of the image recording apparatus.

Therefore, as described above, in order to record an image at a constant main scanning speed for forming a good image and at a constant speed without stopping the sub-scanning, the image transferred from the image information source is required. It is necessary to temporarily store information for at least one page in a memory such as a buffer memory, to read out image information from this, and to perform image recording on a recording material.

However, even if the image information is a monochrome image, one bit of information is usually required for one pixel, and a memory having a large storage capacity is required for the image information of one page. The recording device becomes expensive.

Furthermore, if it is a full-color image, one pixel per color requires an 8-bit information amount, and R, G, and B colors require 24 bits.
A bit of information is needed. Therefore, a very large memory is required, and there is a problem that the image recording apparatus becomes very expensive.

As described above, such an image recording apparatus is connected to various image information sources, and performs image recording in accordance with the image information transferred from the image information source. Depending on the source and the relationship between the memory capacity and the image recording speed, a single image recording apparatus cannot connect a large number of image information sources with greatly different image information transfer speeds.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the problems of the prior art, and can be used in connection with an image information source having any image information transfer speed.
An object of the present invention is to provide an image recording apparatus which does not require an expensive memory having a large storage capacity.

<Means for Solving the Problems> In order to achieve the above object, the present invention receives image information from an image information source, and applies a light beam modulated according to the image information in the main scanning direction by an optical deflector. An image recording apparatus that deflects and records an image on a recording material that is sub-scanned in a direction substantially orthogonal to the main scanning direction, the scanning of the optical deflector according to an image information transfer speed from the image information source. Means for setting a recording time interval of one line of image recording at an integral multiple of a cycle; means for receiving a predetermined unit of image information transferred from the image information source within the recording time interval; Means for recording an image corresponding to image information; means for changing the sub-scanning speed of the recording material in accordance with the recording time interval; and a position corresponding to an effective image recording time end position of the recording time interval in a row immediately before recording. position Means for controlling the energy supplied to a light source that emits the light beam during at least the effective image recording time up to a position corresponding to the effective image recording time start position of the next line of the recording line. An image recording apparatus is provided.

<Operation of the Invention> The image recording apparatus of the present invention receives an image information transfer speed or a predetermined unit amount from an image information source such as an image information reading apparatus or an image processing apparatus such as a computer, for example, a transfer time interval of one line. According to the image information transfer speed and the scanning cycle of the optical deflector, the recording time interval for recording an image is set to an integral multiple of the scanning cycle of the optical deflector, and the movement or conveyance of the recording material is performed according to the recording time interval. Determine and control speed.

That is, the image recording of a predetermined unit amount, for example, one line, is performed by turning on the light source only for a predetermined scanning line within the recording time interval, and the other scanning lines are in a non-recording state in which lighting is not activated. The transfer of the next one line of image information is completed within the recording time interval.

Therefore, it is not necessary to use a large-capacity memory such as a buffer memory, and the memory can be made inexpensive with a small storage capacity of, for example, one row or two rows. It is possible to realize an image recording apparatus which is inexpensive as compared with a conventional image recording apparatus which is required, and in particular, is very inexpensive in a color image recording apparatus.

In addition, since the recording time interval is set according to the image information transfer speed from the image information source as described above, it is possible to use any image information source having a different image information transfer speed despite applying a memory having a small storage capacity. Connection is possible.

Further, by setting the recording time interval, the operation speed of the optical deflector is fixed, and the sub-scanning speed of the recording material during image recording is constant even if the timing of image information transfer and image recording is adjusted. By doing so, image recording can always be performed in a stable state.

Embodiment Hereinafter, an image recording apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail based on a preferred embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the image recording apparatus of the present invention.

The image recording device 10 shown in FIG. 1 is connected to various image information sources 12 such as an image information reading device, an image information processing device, and a computer, and records according to the image information transferred from the image information source 12. A color image is recorded on the material A. Basically, a laser beam corresponding to each exposure of red, green, and blue is emitted in accordance with the image information transferred from the image information source. Is deflected in the main scanning direction by an optical deflector to two-dimensionally scan and expose the recording material A conveyed in the direction of arrow a in the sub-scanning direction, thereby recording a color image.

Such an image recording apparatus 10 receives an image information transfer rate from the image information source 12, sets a recording time interval in accordance with the image information transfer rate, and also commands the respective sections to control the recording time interval by command identification. Unit 14, a memory unit 16 for temporarily storing image information from the image information source 12, a gradation conversion unit 18 for converting image information and a gradation signal, and a modulation unit for modulating a laser beam according to the gradation signal. Unit 20, a motor control circuit 22 for changing and controlling the transport speed of the recording material A according to a set recording time interval, and an image modulated by the modulation unit 20 for exposing the recording material A to perform image recording. Drive circuit 24 that drives each laser light source according to information, laser light sources 28R and 28G
28B, and a recording mechanism 30 having a polygon mirror 26 and the like as an optical deflector.

The command identification unit 14 receives the image information transfer speed from the image information source 12, and accordingly, sets the recording time interval of image recording to the scanning period of the optical deflector, that is, the surface period of the polygon mirror 26 in the illustrated example. It is set to an integral multiple, and the memory unit 16, the gradation conversion unit 18, the conversion unit 20, and the motor control circuit 22
The recording time interval set in (1) is transmitted to control each unit.

In the present invention, the image information transfer speed may be any of a transfer speed and a predetermined unit, for example, a time required to transfer one line of image information.

The recording time interval is a time interval from recording of an image in a predetermined unit to recording of an image in the next predetermined unit, and is set according to the image information transfer speed as described above. That is, in the image recording apparatus 10 of the present invention, the transfer of the image information of the predetermined unit from the image information source 12 is performed after the start of the previous image recording until the start of the next image recording. Set to exit completely.

Therefore, in the image recording apparatus 10 of the present invention, after the previous image recording is completed, the laser light sources 28R, 28G and 28B are not operated until the next image recording after the set recording time interval is started. A non-recording state (or about the amount of bias current supplied to each laser light source) is obtained.

For example, the scanning cycle in the image recording device 10 is 2.0 msec /
In the row, the transfer time (image information transfer speed) from the image information source 12 is up to 10.00 msec / row, and the image information amount in a predetermined unit is 1
It is assumed that the image information is for a line.

Here, the device in the illustrated example has a toggle memory for two rows in the memory unit 16 (to be described in detail later).
For example, the recording time interval may be set to 10.0 msec as the time at which the transfer of one line of image information to the other memory 16b is completed at the same time as the start of image recording stored in one memory 16a.

That is, in this case, as shown in FIG. 2, after one line (one scan, one surface of the polygon mirror 26) image is recorded, four lines (four scans, four surfaces of the polygon mirror 26) are recorded. This is repeated without recording.

Therefore, the transfer of the image information in a predetermined unit can be completed during the non-recording state, without changing the scanning cycle (rotation speed of the polygon mirror 26), and the sub-scanning conveyance speed of the recording material A. Is adjusted in accordance with the recording time interval, whereby image recording can be performed at a constant speed without stopping the sub-scanning conveyance of the recording material A.

In the image recording apparatus 10 of the present invention, the recording time interval is set to an integral multiple of the scanning cycle, and in the apparatus of the illustrated example, it is set to an integral multiple of the surface cycle of the polygon mirror 26.

By setting the recording time interval in this manner, even if image recording and non-recording are alternately performed in accordance with the set recording time interval, image recording is not performed from the middle of the scanning line, and a good image can be obtained. Recording can be performed.

Further, the command identification unit 14 sends an end signal to the image information source 12 every time the recording time interval set as shown in FIG. 2 elapses. In the illustrated device, the image information source 12
Is configured to start transfer of image information to the memory unit 16 in response to the end signal.

The memory unit 16 temporarily stores a predetermined unit amount of image information transferred from the image information source 12, and stores the image information in the image recording apparatus.
In FIG. 10, a memory 16a for storing one row of image information
And 16b are arranged so as to be a toggle memory for two rows that can be switched, and the storage and reading of the memories 16a and 16b can be individually switched by the toggle switches 32a and 32b. .

The switching of the toggle switches 32a and 32b is configured to be controlled and operated by the command identification unit 14 according to the set recording time interval.

In the memory section 16, one memory, for example, the memory 16b and the toggle switch 32b are connected as shown in the illustrated example.
When the image information of the image information stored in the memory 16b is recorded (FIG. 2, record a), the other memory 16a
Is connected to the image information source 12 by a toggle switch 32a, and the image information is transferred and stored (FIG. 2, b of information transfer).

Here, as described above, since the transfer of the image information takes longer than the image recording, even if the image recording from the memory 16b is completed, the image information is continuously transferred from the image information source 12 to the memory 16a, and the image information is transferred to the memory 16a. However, in the image recording apparatus 10 of the present invention, according to the set recording time interval, during this period, the non-recording state is set as described above, and until the next image recording. The transfer of the image information in a predetermined unit is configured to end.

When a predetermined recording time interval has elapsed since the previous image recording was started, a signal is transmitted from the command identification unit 14 to the memory unit 16, each toggle switch is switched, and the toggle switch 32b is connected to the memory 16a, and at the same time, Toggle switch
Reference numeral 32a is connected to the memory 16b, and the image information of the image information stored in the memory 16a is recorded (FIG. 2, record b). On the other hand, the image receiving the end signal from the command identification unit 14 is stored in the memory 16b. The image information is transferred from the information source 12, and the image information is stored (FIG. 2, c of information transfer).

Therefore, in the image recording apparatus 10 of the present invention, the memory unit 16 needs to have a capacity and a storage speed enough to receive a predetermined unit of image information within the recording time interval. Needs to be set taking into account the ability of

In the above example, the image information source 12 is configured to start the transfer of the image information to the memory unit 16 in response to the end signal from the command identification unit 14, but the image information source 12 and the memory Unit 16 and handsh for each transfer unit of image information transfer
In the case of the ake method, instead of the end signal as described above, as shown in FIG.
By extending the shake signal until immediately before the start of recording (after the elapse of the set recording time interval), transfer of image information from the image information source 12 is waited for during a portion indicated by oblique lines. May be configured to take the timing of transferring the image information to the server.

In the case where the image information source 12 and the memory unit 16 perform a handshake for each transfer unit of the image information transfer,
As shown in FIG. 4, the memory unit 16 is not a toggle memory as described above but only a memory for one row, and as shown in FIG. 4, a handshake signal of a head transfer unit of image information is recorded according to a set recording time interval. It is also possible to adopt a method of waiting until the end, that is, during a portion indicated by hatching.

Further, the memory section 16 is not limited to such two rows of toggle memories, but may be two rows or more of toggle memories and only one row of memories. That is, in the present invention, the above-described recording time interval may be set according to the capacity of the memory unit 16.

The image information read from the memory unit 16 is then sent to a gradation conversion unit 18, converted into a gradation signal suitable for image recording on the recording material A, and sent to the next modulation unit 20.

An operation signal corresponding to the recording time interval set by the command identification unit 14 is also sent to the gradation conversion unit 18, which operates according to the set recording time interval to convert the transmitted image information into gradations. It is configured to convert to a signal.

The gradation signal converted by the gradation conversion unit 18 is then sent to the modulation unit 20. The modulation unit 20 determines the modulation of the laser beams emitted from the laser light sources 28R, 28G and 28B in the recording mechanism 30 according to the transmitted gradation signal, and sends this signal to the drive circuit 24 of the recording mechanism 30. .

An operation signal corresponding to the recording time interval set by the command identification unit 14 is also sent to the modulation unit 20, and the modulation unit 20 is configured to operate according to the set recording time interval.

Further, the image recording apparatus 10 of the present invention repeats recording and non-recording of a predetermined unit amount, for example, for each line, according to the recording time interval set as described above. It is necessary to emit a laser beam from each laser light source depending on the situation. Therefore, the modulation unit 20 receives the signal at the set recording time interval, sends the modulation signal to the drive circuit 24 of the recording mechanism 30 according to the recording time interval, and controls the emission of the laser beam from each laser light source.

The recording mechanism 30 emits a laser beam according to the modulation signal sent from the modulation unit 20, reflects and deflects the laser beam in the main scanning direction by the polygon mirror 26, and
The recording material A conveyed in the sub-scanning direction is two-dimensionally scanned and exposed to perform image recording.

Such a recording mechanism 30 basically emits a driving circuit 24 for driving each laser light source in accordance with a modulation signal sent from the modulation unit 20, and a laser beam having a wavelength corresponding to red exposure for developing cyan. A laser light source 28R that emits a laser beam having a wavelength corresponding to green exposure that emits magenta, a laser light source 28B that emits a laser beam that emits a laser beam having a wavelength corresponding to blue exposure that emits yellow, And a polygon mirror 26 as an optical deflector that reflects and deflects the laser beam emitted from the optical axis and superposed on the optical axis in the main scanning direction.

The drive circuit 24 drives each laser light source according to the modulation signal from the modulation unit 20, and emits a laser beam. Here, since the image recording apparatus of the present invention performs image recording in accordance with the set recording time interval, the modulation signal from the modulation unit 20 is sent to the drive circuit 24 accordingly, and the drive circuit At 24, each laser light source is activated accordingly.

Each of the laser beams emitted from the laser light sources 28R, 28G and 28B is transmitted to a corresponding collimator lens 34.
Shaped through R, 34G and 34B, then mirror 36
After the optical axes are overlapped by the dichroic mirrors 36G and 36B, the light is reflected by the mirror 38 in a predetermined direction and enters the polygon mirror 26.

The laser beam incident on the polygon mirror 26 is reflected and deflected in the main scanning direction, passes through the fθ lens 40, is lowered by the long mirror 42, and two-dimensionally conveys the recording material A conveyed in the sub-scanning direction in the arrow a direction. Exposure is performed by scanning, and an image is recorded.

In the illustrated image recording apparatus 10, the recording material A is nipped and conveyed by a pair of rollers 44.

A motor 46 as a drive source is connected to the roller pair 44, and the rotation speed of the motor 46 is configured to be changeable by the motor control circuit 22. A control signal corresponding to the recording time interval set by the command identification unit 14 is sent to the motor control circuit 22, and the motor control circuit 22 is configured to change the rotation speed of the motor 46 accordingly. .

As described above, the image recording apparatus 10 of the present invention repeatedly performs recording and non-recording on the recording material A conveyed in the sub-scanning direction at a constant speed in accordance with a set recording time interval. For this reason, it is necessary to appropriately adjust the sub-scanning conveyance speed of the recording material A in accordance with the set recording time interval in order to make the interval between the scanning lines on which the image is recorded suitable and perform good image recording. .

The adjustment amount of the transport speed may be appropriately determined in accordance with the recording time interval so that the interval between the scanning lines is the same as that of normal image recording. In the above-described example, one line image is recorded and then four lines are not recorded. Therefore, the transport speed may be set to 1/5 of the normal speed.

Accordingly, in the illustrated image recording apparatus 10, the motor 46
Is not particularly limited as long as the rotation speed can be changed,
Various things such as a pulse motor can be applied.

In an image recording device using a laser beam,
In order to obtain a laser beam with a stable light output, a bias current is applied to each laser light source so that the recording material is not always exposed (colored).

However, the image recording apparatus 10 of the present invention performs image recording at the recording time interval set as described above, and in the non-recording state during that time, and also conveys the recording material A at a recording time interval. It is assumed that it is slow according to. Therefore, if the bias current is continuously supplied during non-recording, the recording material A is exposed and color is formed.

Therefore, in the image recording apparatus 10 of the present invention, the bias current flowing to each laser light source corresponds to the effective image recording start position of the next line of the recording line from the position corresponding to the effective image recording end position of the line immediately before recording. It is preferable that a configuration is adopted in which the flow is performed only at least during the effective image recording time up to the position.

In other words, in the image recording apparatus 10 of the present invention, the bias current flowing to each laser light source for stabilizing the laser beam for image recording is controlled by the set recording time indicated by oblique lines as shown in FIG. It is preferable that the laser beam is emitted at the time of laser emission according to the interval, and that the laser beam is not emitted at other times, that is, during no recording.

In FIG. 5, the bias current flowing every 2 msec is a bias current flowing to the laser light source for detecting SOS (row start signal), and has a completely different purpose.

The bias current for stabilizing the laser beam may be supplied to each laser light source from a position corresponding to the effective image recording time end position of the recording time interval of the line immediately before recording as shown by a dotted line in FIG. Good.

In the image recording apparatus 10 of the present invention, similarly to the conventional image recording apparatus, a bias current is always supplied to the laser light source, and a laser beam emitted by the bias current is shielded by using various shutters or the like. It may be configured as described above.

With such a configuration, the image recording device 10 of the present invention can form a good image with more stable density.

In the image recording apparatus 10 described above, the command identification unit 14 receives the image information transfer speed from the image information source 12, and sets the recording time interval.However, the present invention is not limited to this. The time interval may be externally input and set according to the image information source 12.

In FIG. 6, a heat development step is required as a recording material to which the above-described image recording apparatus 10 of the present invention is applied, and an image is transferred to an image receiving material having an image receiving layer in the presence of an image forming solvent such as water. 1 shows a copying apparatus to which a recording material A to be formed is applied.

A photosensitive material supply unit 84 containing a recording material A and image information carried on a document S are read and image-processed in a housing 82 constituting the copying apparatus 80, and then the recording material A is exposed to a latent image. An image exposing device 70 for forming an image, a water application unit 86 for applying water to the recording material A, an image receiving paper supply unit 88 containing the image receiving paper C, and the image receiving paper C overlaid on the recording material A An image forming unit including a superposition unit 90, a heat development transfer unit 92 for performing a heat treatment on the recording material A and the image receiving paper C, and a peeling unit 94 for peeling the image receiving paper C from the recording material A are provided. .

A transparent document table 50 on which the document S is placed is disposed on the upper surface of the housing 82, and an image exposure device 70 is provided below the document table 50.
Is arranged.

The image exposure device 70 includes a reading mechanism 72 and the above-described image recording device 10 of the present invention.

In the illustrated copying apparatus 80, the reading mechanism 72 functions as the image information source 12 shown in FIG. 1 for the image recording apparatus 10 of the present invention.

The reading mechanism 72 includes a light source 74 that can move the lower surface of the document table 50 in the scanning direction, a mirror 76a that moves integrally with the light source 74,
Mirrors 76b and 76c moving in the same direction at half the speed of 4,
It comprises an imaging lens 78, a CCD sensor 79 and a control circuit 81.

Further, the control circuit 81 is connected to the image recording device 10 of the present invention.

Since the image recording apparatus 10 is the same as that shown in FIG. 1, the same members are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In the illustrated copying apparatus, a light source 74 scans and irradiates the lower surface of the document S in the sub-scanning direction. This reflected light is reflected by each mirror, formed into an image on an imaging lens 78, and is sensed by a CCD sensor 79.
, Is time-divisionally subjected to photoelectric conversion, and the data is transferred to the control circuit 81. The control circuit 81 determines the emission condition of each laser light source according to the data, and sends a signal to the image recording device 10 of the present invention.

The image exposure device 70 is surrounded by a partition 98 except for an exposure opening 96 through which an optical axis for exposing the recording material A passes, and is optically isolated from other portions.

The photosensitive material supply section 84 is loaded with a detachable magazine 106 around which the recording material A is wound, and has a pair of rollers 110a to 110d for transporting the recording material A from the magazine 106 to the exposure position 108. In this case, a cutter 112 that cuts the recording material A at predetermined lengths is provided between the pair of rollers 110a and 110b. The exposure table 114 disposed between the pair of rollers 110c and 110d faces an exposure opening 96 defined on the bottom surface of the partition 98 surrounding the image exposure device 70.

In addition, a motor control circuit 22 is connected to the drive source of each roller pair (not shown) as in FIG. 1, and adjusts and controls the transport speed of the recording material A according to the set recording time interval.

A transport path including a pair of rollers 110e and a guide plate is provided in front of the exposure position 108 (hereinafter, forward indicates the downstream side in the traveling direction of the recording material or the like).

At the exposure position 108, a two-dimensional imagewise exposure is performed on the recording material A to form a latent image, and the recording material A on which the latent image is formed is formed.
Is transported to the water application section 86 via the transport path.

The water application unit 86 is for facilitating the transfer of the latent image formed on the recording material A, and includes a water tank 120 containing water.
And a guide plate 118 for guiding the recording material A underwater, and a pair of rollers 110f for conveying the recording material A along the guide plate 118.
And a pair of squeeze rollers 116 for scraping excess water from the swelled recording material A coated with water.

The recording material A to which the water is applied is applied to the squeeze roller pair 116
To the overlapping section 90.

On the other hand, on the right side of the housing 82, an image receiving paper supply unit 88 for supplying the image receiving paper C is provided. The receiving paper supply unit 88
An image receiving paper magazine 122 containing the wound image receiving paper C is loaded. The image receiving paper C in the magazine 122 is fed out by a pair of rollers 110g, and is cut into a predetermined length by a cutter 124 disposed in front of the pair of rollers 110g.

The cut image receiving paper C is conveyed to the overlapping section 90 by a pair of rollers 110h.

In front of the overlapping section 90, the superposed recording material A
Further, a heating / developing transfer section 92 for heating the image receiving paper C, developing the latent image on the recording material A, and transferring the latent image onto the image receiving paper C is provided.

The heating / developing transfer section 92 is surrounded by a heat insulating partition 126, and has a hollow cylindrical heating drum 130 containing a halogen lamp 128, and an outer peripheral surface of the heating drum 130 having a diameter of about 27 mm.
It is wound at an angle of 0 ° and has four belt support rollers 13
Endless belt 136 supported by 2,133,134,135
Is heated in a state where the recording material A and the image receiving paper C are overlapped. By this heating, the latent image on the recording material A is developed and is transferred onto the image receiving paper C to develop a color.

A peeling portion 94 is provided in the partition 126, and the peeling portion 94 is
First peeling claw 13 for peeling recording material A from image receiving paper C
8 and the second for separating the image receiving paper C from the heating drum 130.
The peeling claw 140 and the roller 14 for discharging the image receiving paper C out of the partition 126
Consists of two.

A waste tray 144 for abandoning the recording material A separated from the image receiving paper C by the peeling claw 138 and a pair of rollers 110i for charging the recording material A into the waste tray 144 are provided in front of one side of the heat development transfer unit 92. Can be

Further, in front of the other side of the heating / developing transfer section 92, a take-out tray 146 for containing the heated image receiving paper C and a pair of rollers 110j, 110k, and 110l for transporting to the take-out tray 146 are provided, and the image is transferred. The receiving paper C is placed in the take-out tray.
146 is derived.

A typical example in which the image recording apparatus of the present invention is applied to a copying apparatus using a recording material A of a type in which an image is heated and developed and transferred to an image receiving material having an image receiving layer in the presence of an image forming solvent such as water. As described above, the color image recording apparatus of the present invention is not limited thereto, and various image forming apparatuses using the same recording material A, copying apparatuses and image forming apparatuses using electrophotographic or silver halide photographic light-sensitive materials, etc. The present invention is applicable to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine and a printer.

Although the image recording apparatus according to the present invention is configured as described above, the present invention is not limited to this, and various improvements and design changes can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. Of course.

<Effects of the Invention> As described in detail above, the image recording apparatus of the present invention receives image information transfer speeds from various image information sources and recording time intervals of a predetermined unit amount, and In accordance with the scanning cycle of the optical deflector, a recording time interval for recording an image is set to an integral multiple of the scanning cycle of the optical deflector, and the movement or transport speed of the recording material is determined and controlled according to the recording time interval.

For this reason, the memory for storing image information can be made inexpensive with a small storage capacity of, for example, one row or two rows, and the conventional image recording that requires an expensive memory with a large capacity of one page. It is possible to realize a very inexpensive image recording apparatus in a color image recording apparatus which is inexpensive as compared with the apparatus, in particular, the amount of image information is extremely large.

In addition, since the recording time interval is set according to the image information transfer speed from the image information source as described above, it is possible to use any image information source having a different image information transfer speed despite applying a memory having a small storage capacity. Connection is possible.

Further, by setting the recording time interval, the operation speed of the optical deflector is fixed, and the sub-scanning speed of the recording material during image recording is constant even if the timing of image information transfer and image recording is adjusted. By doing so, image recording can always be performed in a stable state.

Preferably, at least during the effective image recording time, between the position corresponding to the effective image recording time end position of the line immediately before recording and the position corresponding to the effective image recording start position of the next line of the recording line. Energy to stabilize, for example, to supply a bias current to the light source,
By not irradiating the recording material with an extra light beam during non-recording, it is possible to perform good image recording without unevenness, more stable color density.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an embodiment of the image recording apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a chart showing the operation of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a chart showing the operation of another embodiment of the image recording apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a chart showing the operation of another embodiment of the image recording apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a chart showing the action of energy supply in the image recording apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a copying apparatus to which the image recording apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is applied. Description of symbols 10 ... image recording device, 12 ... image information source, 14 ... command identification unit, 16 ... memory unit, 18 ... gradation conversion unit, 20 ... modulation unit, 22 ... motor control circuit , 24… Drive circuit, 26… Polygon mirror, 28R, 28G, 28B… Laser light source, 30… Recording mechanism, 32a, 32b… Toggle switch, 34R, 34G, 34B… Collimator lens, 36R, 38 … Mirror, 36G, 36B… dichroic mirror, 40… fθ lens, 42… long mirror, 44… roller pair, 46… motor, 70… image exposure device, 80… copier, 82 … Housing, 84… photosensitive material supply section, 86… water application section, 88… image receiving paper supply section, 90… overlapping section, 92… heat development transfer section, 94… peeling section, 96… ... Aperture, 98 ... Partition wall, S ... Original, A ... Recording material, C ... Receiving paper

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] An image information source receives image information, deflects a light beam modulated according to the image information in a main scanning direction by an optical deflector, and performs sub-scanning in a direction substantially orthogonal to the main scanning direction. An image recording apparatus for recording an image on a recording material to be recorded, wherein a recording time interval of one line of image recording is set at an integral multiple of a scanning cycle of the optical deflector according to an image information transfer speed from the image information source. Means, means for receiving a predetermined unit of image information transferred from the image information source within the recording time interval, means for recording an image corresponding to the image information for each recording time interval, Means for changing the sub-scanning speed in accordance with the recording time interval; and from the position corresponding to the effective image recording time end position of the recording time interval of the line immediately before recording, the effective image recording time start position of the next line of the recording line To At least during the effective image recording time until position, the image recording apparatus characterized by having a means for controlling the energy supplied to the light source for emitting the light beam.